One Question
by ilikeoctopus
Summary: Set after Roy filed an application to become a State Alchemist. He meets up with an old neighbor and friend, and talks about alchemy, the government, and clouds... Oneshot.


**Author's Note: I had this inspiration when I was re-reading the parts of the manga in which Riza's codename was Elizabeth. So I thought, why couldn't that be someone Roy knew when he was younger…? Kind of Royai.**

**This is dedicated to my friend Jessica, who's an avid fan of Roy Mustang. Cheers!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Fullmetal Alchemist in any way, shape or form, though I did make up Elizabeth the person.**

It was a lovely sunny day with just a slight breeze, and the sky contained the fluffiest clouds Amestris had ever seen, or so a young Roy Mustang thought. The sun shone wonderfully brightly, and he wanted to just stop and stare up at the ever-shifting white masses that dotted the atmosphere.

He had no time to do so, however, as a girl suddenly streaked past him unexpectedly, laughing merrily. "Tag! Roy, you're it!" she sang, dancing around him just out of his arm's reach. "Come catch me!" As soon as she had come, she had gone, darting towards the grassy hills near the city's edge. The girl paused to look back and pouted to see he hadn't budged an inch.

"You're no fun, Roy-boy!" she glared at him, then stuck out her tongue.

Roy sighed dramatically, but quickly broke into a grin and started running at full tilt after her. Cupping his hands around his mouth, he called out to her. "You get back here, Elizabeth! That's not fair at all, you know! You had a huge head start!"

She just threw her head back, laughing, her long brown hair flowing out gracefully behind her. She came to a stop halfway up the length of the nearest hill. "You're just too slow!" she shouted back at her friend, who was currently stumbling up the steep hillside.

He made a face, and started chasing her up the hill again. "Say that again where I can reach you!" He finally caught up to her, and they both fell down, breathless and laughing, onto the soft green carpet of grass.

Roy turned to look at Elizabeth, and smiled. "We haven't played tag like that in a long time, have we?" he asked thoughtfully, "not for a few years, at least."

"Yeah," she replied, "and it's all your fault. Ever since you took up that apprenticeship under that creepy old man…" Elizabeth looked away, and gazed at the sky distractedly. "That cloud looks kind of like a cat, doesn't it?"

The young man looked up and grimaced. "Only if cats have short, round ears and have weird gray markings over their eyes and legs," he muttered. "But if you squint a bit, then sure." He then started to ponder Elizabeth's accusation. "Liza, you know I want to become an alchemist. And we're not little kids anymore… we can't just come out and play like this."

She glared at him. "That doesn't mean you can't come around and say hi once in a while," she sulked, then her voice turned pleading. "We worry about you, learning some strange, obscure craft under a stranger, even more obscure teacher. With creepy eyes," she added. "The only thing positive about that house is his daughter. Now _there's _a great girl!"

Roy glanced at her. "Master Hawkeye isn't all that creepy," he said, defending his teacher halfheartedly (and ignoring the statement about Berthold's daughter), "and alchemy isn't just some obscure craft. You can help people with it and improve lives! It's all about comprehending something, then deconstructing it, and then reconstructing – " he was cut off as Elizabeth sighed and muttered something under her breath.

"Yeah, yeah. Whatever. But it can hurt people, too," she said quietly. Roy suddenly remembered that her father had been killed in an alchemical rebound several years back, resulting in her deep distrust of alchemy. She had been very close to her father, he recalled. "What if you get hurt? What if you hurt others? Would you just keep going?" She sat up, and looked down at the city, then looked at him from the corner of her eye.

He was at a loss for words – usually, he could comfort any girl in any circumstance, talk to them, make them forget their troubles with a few well chosen words. But here was his neighbor who he had known for as long as he could remember, and he couldn't think of anything to say that could make her feel better. Was he supposed to change the subject? That wouldn't seem right; it would be almost as if he were avoiding the subject of her father's death. Was it even possible to lighten up the atmosphere?

The sun seemed a bit darker, _colder_ somehow, and the breeze that blew past gently chilled him. Elizabeth had returned her gaze to the city, and was staring at it absently. "Elizabeth…? Liza? A-are you all right?"

She turned to look at him, and smiled slightly. "Yes. Yeah, I'm fine. I was just thinking. About my dad's, and your, alchemy." She looked small and scared for a moment, like she had when they had walked into her house looking for a hot meal, and instead found her father lying still and cold on the floor. Roy suppressed a small shudder at the memory.

"Why did you choose to learn this… this _thing_ that can kill people if you make a single mistake? I don't want to lose you. And I know that Riza Hawkeye wouldn't, either." Elizabeth looked him directly in the eye as he blushed. "So, my question is, _why?_"

Roy held her stare for a moment, and then gazed off into the distance. "I heard that in Xing, they use alchemy to heal people. I want to learn this because I know that somehow, someday, I can help someone and make his or her life better, and I know that it will be worth it. Alchemy is for the people. Can't you understand that? As a doctor-in-training?" he pleaded.

She considered this silently for a moment. "I guess so," she muttered, "but I don't like the comparison. Medicine is something that's usually sure, that is made for helping people, saving lives. But this alchemy thing seems so uncertain, so vague." Elizabeth looked up at him pleadingly through her thick brown hair. "Please. If you're going to follow through with this, if I really can't convince you to do something else, then please stay safe."

The dark haired man smiled down at her, then glanced up at the downy clouds, one of which looked suspiciously like a sideways lion. "Alright, Liza. I'll be careful."

Even with his consolation, however, the girl – no, she was a young woman now – looked dissatisfied somehow, and was frowning at the skies. Roy looked at her sharply and told her, "You shouldn't look directly at the sun. You're going to lose your eyesight if you continue like that." At her reproachful gaze, he shrugged, embarrassed. "It's true. Shouldn't you know that, being a medical expert and all?" he teased.

She shoved him lightly and a smile tugged at the corners of her mouth. "I'm not an optometrist, alchemist-boy. And the sun, it's just so… perfect. You know? I feel as if I can always count on it being there." She then mock-glared at him. "Unlike you."

They both laughed, and sat in comfortable silence, the atmosphere having somehow lightened a bit. Roy noticed his neighbor frowning slightly, with worry written all over her face. "Penny for your thoughts," he implored.

"Roy. I was just thinking about the government. How they say that they want to help people, but end up hurting them anyway." Her dark eyes clouded slightly. "Have you heard about that Youswell place?"

He looked at her, puzzled. "That mining town near the border? What about it? Is that what's been bothering you?"

Elizabeth shook her head in exasperation. "Current events, Roy-boy. I've heard from some friends over there that taxes have been unfairly high ever since a certain military official took charge. If the government really wanted to help the people, then why would they do that? It's unfair," she pouted, "we're people just like them."

"So it's the corruption in the government that you're worrying about," Roy acknowledged dryly. "Maybe it's only on some levels, or only a few people." He was surprised that Liza had brought this up, since he had just recently applied for a State Alchemist license. He hadn't told anyone yet, and he had been planning to tell her, but now that seemed a bad idea.

"I wish we could change it somehow… but the government seems so commanding. So powerful…" she trailed off.

Roy cut in. "We _can_ change it," he stated forcefully. "If we try, then we can."

Elizabeth looked at him fearfully. "You're not thinking…"

He laughed humorlessly. There was no avoiding it now. "Yeah, I applied for a position as a State Alchemist. If the government of Amestris is really for the people, then that's the best way I can help others."

She stared at him, then sighed. "What's done is done, I guess. But be careful… the world is a harsh place. You know that you might be asked to kill people, right?" He nodded wordlessly. "And you're still going to follow through in this, even knowing that you might kill. Just… just come back safely every once in a while, okay?"

Roy looked at her and chuckled. "I haven't been accepted yet, so relax. And I haven't told Master Hawkeye yet, either, so please don't tell anyone else yet." Suddenly, loud bells sounded from across Central, echoing off the distant hills where they were sitting. Roy jumped, and smiled sheepishly. "I'm going to be late, Master Hawkeye won't be too happy…" He got to his feet, stretching, and ran a hand through his black hair and feeling the breeze that ruffled it.

Elizabeth stood up, too, and smiled softly. "Alright then. Help my friends in Youswell. I believe that you really can do this. Change this country for me. I believe in you – and say hi to Riza for me," she called as Roy strode down the hill into the sun-drenched city. He raised a hand in acknowledgment, not looking back.

As he descended, he could faintly hear Liza's soft voice behind him forming one last forlorn word:

"_Why?_"


End file.
